Parent perspectives on developing effective family-school partnerships in Hawai'i.

Abstract

Family–school partnerships have been shown to improve academic and social outcomes for children, yet there have been challenges in developing effective partnerships with diverse families. This phenomenological study examined perspectives of immigrant and local parents with regards to family–school partnerships in Hawaiʻi to provide insights regarding these challenges in this unique context. Results demonstrated that parents valued the relational aspect of family–school partnerships and believed that education for their children was important. Beyond supporting children’s learning, participants wanted to understand their children’s experiences in school and to participate in building a school community. They identified the importance of the principal’s role in affording effective partnerships and discussed cultural mismatches with educators that created barriers for their participation. This study adds to the literature by examining parent perspectives in the context of the complexity of family, school, and community attributes in Hawaiʻi, including the voices of diverse families that reflect the increasing diversity of schools.